A large static magnetic field is used by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners to align the nuclear spins of atoms as part of the procedure for producing images within the body of a patient. This large static magnetic field is referred to as the B0 field.
During an MRI scan, Radio Frequency (RF) pulses generated by one or more transmitter coils cause a called B1 field. Additionally applied gradient fields and the B1 field cause perturbations to the effective local magnetic field. RF signals are then emitted by the nuclear spins and detected by one or more receiver coils. These RF signals are used to construct the MR images. These coils can also be referred to as antennas.
MRI scanners are able to construct images of either slices or volumes. A slice is a thin volume that is only one voxel thick. A voxel is a small volume element over which the MR signal is averaged, and represents the resolution of the MR image. A voxel may also be referred to as a pixel (picture element) herein if a single slice is considered.
United States patent application publication US 2014/0088984 A1 discloses medical imaging apparatus operates to automatically recommend protocols suitable for image capture of a subject based on information related to the subject, and a control method operates the medical imaging apparatus. The medical imaging apparatus includes a controller which determines one or more protocols to scan a subject, classifies the protocols based on plural predefined criteria, and aligns and recommends the protocols classified according to a selected criterion if any one of the plural criteria is selected, and a display unit which displays an array of the protocols recommended by the controller.
United States patent application publication US 2006/0058635 A1 discloses a a method and MR apparatus for acquisition of images of an examination region of a human or animal body by means of measurement parameter sets controlling the image acquisition, selection of an examination region to be acquired is made by a user according to anatomical viewpoints by means of a whole-body representation of an image element of the body (stored in a storage region for image data) on a monitor. A list of measurement parameter sets for the selected region is displayed on the monitor, with the measurement parameter sets in the list each being shown with at least one region-specific image element (stored in a storage region) of an acquisition result that can be obtained with this measurement parameter set. A measurement parameter set for image acquisition is then selected.
European patent application publication EP 1 229 472 A4 discloses an MRI system center is connected through the electronic communication circuit to a plurality of MRI systems for converting the inside of a sample into video signals using magnetic resonance. The MRI system center receives data of a log file storing the usage of the MRI system, or usage data extracted from the log file, from the MRI systems through a communication control unit. A database unit stores the data of the log file or the usage data. An analysis unit analyzes the data of a log file or the usage data received within a predetermined period of time.
United States patent application publication US 2004/0148403 A1 discloses a technique for sharing clinical protocols for diagnostic imaging systems. The clinical protocols generally represent operational parameters, such as configuration data and procedures, which are clinically developed for a particular imaging diagnosis. An interface or access point, such as a network accessible database or website, is provided to facilitate the exchange of these clinical protocols between clinicians. The present technique also may facilitate the formation of new clinical protocols and/or the integration of new clinical protocols into various diagnostic imaging systems. Accordingly, clinicians can electronically exchange and configure a variety of imaging protocols for potentially greater quality in the particular imaging diagnosis.